As we work to bring even more value to our audience, we’ve made important changes for those who receive Ad Age with our compliments. As of November 15, 2016 we will no longer be offering full digital access to AdAge.com. However, we will continue to send you our industry-leading print issues focused on providing you with what you need to know to succeed.

If you’d like to continue your unlimited access to AdAge.com, we invite you to become a paid subscriber. Get the news, insights and tools that help you stay on top of what’s next.

Just Because It's Possible Doesn't Mean It's Profitable

Sponsor Post: As Marketers, Lead With People First, Not Platforms

Most Popular

One of the biggest issues we face in advertising is that we are confronted with new bright, shiny objects every day that promise to revolutionize the way we can reach consumers and the way that consumers interact with the world around them.

Technology is advancing in unstoppable ways, and there can and will be a tech or digital answer to every need we have. But will those solutions be relevant to who we are as people? We have the ability and the technology to create devices and platforms to support every facet of our lives. It's yet to be determined if a text from our refrigerator that the milk is low is helpful or annoying. We all do stand in front of the fridge every morning with capable eyes.

It seems as though every time we make a leap forward in technology, we as marketers focus on how we can integrate our brands into the conversation. But just because a platform was developed, it doesn't necessarily mean it will be widely adopted—and even if it is, should we, as marketers, work to integrate our brands into that particular conversation?

I suggest we let performance dictate the tipping point. Follow people and their behaviors to determine the bright, shiny objects that we should invest in moving forward. Because, after all, behind every data point is a person.

Each data point will also indicate a behavior. And it's the behavior that will determine whether or not our brands need to have a place as part of this conversation.

A radical, devoted study of people and their behavior is the X factor in pursuit of profitable adoption of our latest offerings. This will be the difference between partnering with the innovations that have enduring value and the ones that fall to the wayside.

Brands have a powerful role in our collective future, as the dollars they spend will help fund and determine which innovations succeed. As marketers, following people and letting their behavior dictate our investments will ensure that we enjoy the collective benefit of what's possible in the future.

About the Author

As president of iProspect, U.S., Jeremy Cornfeldt leads iProspect's strategy, product offerings and client services teams. A true visionary, Jeremy builds on the agency's strong foundation and core offerings to drive growth and champion the agency as an emerging digital performance powerhouse. He has extensive experience building strategic relationships with large, complex brands. For the last 11 years of his 20-year career in marketing and advertising, Jeremy has held key roles within the Dentsu Aegis Network, including overseeing the Global Media Partnerships team and working hand-in-hand with Facebook, Apple, Microsoft and Google.

About iProspect

Across the globe, iProspect makes digital marketing human by creating the connections brands need to stay ahead and giving businesses a tangible advantage. Marketing has changed. As digital extends into all areas of our lives, every tweet, status update and video is a potential customer touch point. While this gives advertisers great opportunities, it also means customers expect more. Audiences today want services and content that meet their needs, wherever they are, whatever they're doing. By putting the customer at the center, iProspect creates simple, effective strategies that connect with people across every channel—and grow business in measurable ways.